1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cabling systems for supporting high-speed full duplex digital transmission protocols and, more particularly, is concerned with an enhanced modular jack assembly for use in such cabling systems and having a contact array subassembly with a non-parallel intermediate contact and a seat restricting deflection of the intermediate contact.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Network transmission rates have increased hundred fold during the past five years. These increases have prompted standards organizations to draft performance standards covering cabling systems that will ensure that such cabling systems are capable of supporting full duplex digital transmission protocols. These performance standards specify near end cross talk, power sum near end cross talk, attenuation, and return loss electrical performance across the interconnection device interface to ensure the channel performance is maintained to digital transmission protocols. These performance standards require separation of pairs in the unshielded twisted pairs cabling. These standards also require separation and isolation of contacts in the interconnection devices.
Heretofore, Hubbell Premise Wiring of Stonington, Conn., a subsidiary of Hubbell Incorporated, has manufactured and marketed an interconnection device in the form of a modular jack. assembly for use in these cabling systems. The modular jack assembly has an array of contacts which includes pairs of long and short contacts mounted on a circuit board and connected to the four unshielded twisted pairs in the cabling. The pairs of long and short contacts are situated in spaced-apart substantially parallel first and second rows in which the long contacts of the first row are aligned with one another and the short contacts of the second row are aligned with one another but are offset relative to the long contacts of the first row. The contacts of both rows have generally hook-shaped configurations with substantially straight inner portions extending generally upright from the circuit board, substantially straight outer portions extending generally forwardly and downwardly at acute angles relative to the inner portions and the circuit board and substantially rounded or arcuate-shaped middle portions rigidly interconnecting the straight inner and outer portions. The inner and middle portions of the long contacts of the first row are longer than the inner and middle portions of the short contacts of the front row such that the middle portions of the long contacts of the first row are disposed above but offset from the middle portions of the short contacts of the second row. The outer portions of the long contacts of the first row extend toward the circuit board at a steeper acute angle than the outer portions of the short contacts of the second row such that the outer portions of the long contacts of the first row extend between the outer portions of the short contacts of the second row and have free ends which protrude beyond the adjacent free ends of the outer portions of the short contacts of the second row.
The above-described modular jack assembly produced by Hubbell Premise Wiring has met the prior industry performance standards and achieved substantial commercial success. However, innovations are now needed to this modular jacket assembly in order to meet the aforementioned new increased performance standards.